HomeMy WebLinkAbout02-21-25 The Fresh NewsletterFebruary 21, 2025
Public Meetings Next Week:
Planning Commission Meeting.
February 24, 6:30 p.m.
CANCELLED.
Visit our website
Join us on Nextdoor
Full meeting packets and meeting minutes can be accessed here:
Agendas and Minutes
City Council adopts strategic plan
Lake Elmo City Council adopted the new
strategic plan on Tuesday, February 18. The
Council, Department Heads, Consultant Staff,
and Commission Representatives held work
sessions on January 15-16, 2024, to develop
both long-term strategies and short-term goals
for the organization. The discussion was
facilitated by Phil Kern and included long-term
vision, organizational values, and
expectations, as well as short-term goal setting.
From this work, the new strategic plan was
adopted.
The mission of the City of Lake Elmo is to
provide planned, quality public services
consistent with the City’s character in a fiscally
responsible manner in partnership with our
community. The City intends to meet this mission
by committing to performance consistent with the
following values:
Excellence
We strive for excellence in everything we do,
ensuring the highest quality in the delivery of
services. Our commitment to excellence is
reflected in our continued pursuit of
improvement and innovation.
Integrity
We uphold the highest standards of ethics and
integrity in our actions. We are transparent and
accountable, fostering trust and respect among
our stakeholders.
Service
We are committed to serving our community
through collaboration, innovation, open
communication, valuing diverse ideas and
creative solutions. By respecting individuality
and actively engaging with the community, we
ensure our efforts are inclusive and responsive.
You can read the full report here.
Richard "JR" Sachs and Richard "Woody"
Glanzer retire from Lake Elmo FD
City Council recognized the work and
dedication of two of Lake Elmo's firemen,
Richard "Woody" Glanzer and Richard
JR" Sachs, on their recent Lake Elmo
Fire Department retirements Tuesday.
JR joined the department in 1997 and
spent the next 27 years dedicating himself
as a firefighter, engineer, and support
services member. JR has proven himself
to be very knowledgeable in department
operations and as a historian for our
organization and city.
Woody joined the department in 2013
and spent 11 years as our department
chaplain. As a chaplain, Woody would
respond to critical incidents within Lake
Elmo and the surrounding communities
and offer support to community members
affected by the tragedy. After the call,
Woody would spend time with our
members to provide counseling and
support.
Thank you for your dedication to the city
of Lake Elmo, you will be missed!
National Engineers Week February 16-22
Founded in 1951 by the National Society of Professional
Engineers, Engineers Week is a national event
established to promote engineering and technology.
Thanks to our City engineers, Nate Stanley, Chad
Isakson, and Jack Griffin, for all you do.
BECOME A WASHINGTON COUNTY TREE STEWARD
Join the Washington Conservation District and
UMN to learn more about trees and how to help
care for our collective urban forest!
The Minnesota Tree Steward program is
designed for people who love trees, enjoy being
outdoors, and want to volunteer with their
community.
Through a partnership with the Washington
Conservation District (WCD) and the University
of Minnesota, you’ll learn how to care for young
and newly planted trees in public spaces of
Washington County.
After completing the training and short
assessment, you‘ll also become a certified Tree
Steward Volunteer who can participate in
activities under the guidance of WCD/ host site
Forestry staff.
To stay active, volunteers must complete 25
hours of volunteer work and/or participate in 3
tree-related volunteer events each year.
Questions? Email Jessica Sahu Teli
Workshop dates (Pick one): April 5th: 9am - 2
pm: Scandia Community Center April 12th: 9 am
2 pm: Nordic Center in Lake Elmo Park
Reserve. Register Here.
Lake Elmo Public Works
is hiring!
We are hiring seasonal maintenance staff to
assist our full-time Public Works staff in
maintaining and repairing our city streets and
parks.
This position will involve training in several
areas. Work up to 40 hours per week, with an
anticipated start date in May.
Salary range is $18 to $19 per hour/ starting
pay. Must be 16 years of age and have a valid
driver's license.
Apply Here
Winter Parking Ordinance
The winter parking ordinance prohibits
parking on Lake Elmo streets from
November 1 through March 31 between
2:00 AM and 7:00 AM, or during a snow
event outside of those hours.
Remember, if the City's trucks are
blocked they can't plow your streets!
What do my property taxes pay for?
Property Tax Calculator
The City Council adopted the 2025 Tax Levy on December 17. City Finance Dept. staff has
developed a downloadable tool that estimates 2025 city taxes (not other jurisdictions) on
your home and shows approximately how much of your taxes go toward each service
area. Check it out at
https://www.lakeelmo.gov/departments/finance___utility/property_tax_calculator.php
Lead Service Line Inventory Project
The City of Lake Elmo has completed and submitted its service line materials inventory to
the Minnesota Department of Health. The service line inventory is publicly available, and
you can check the materials for your service line by visiting the Lead Inventory Tracking
Tool (LITT) at https://maps.umn.edu/LSL/ you may also contact us Lake Elmo staff @ 651-
747-3946. To complete the service line inventory our system gathered information from
building records along with, door to door and self verification. As on 09/27/2024, our
inventory contains 0 lead, 2 galvanized requiring replacement, 280 unknown material and
3327 non-lead service lines. You may contact the Lake Elmo Public Works Department to
update the tracking records at any time.
Tree Trimming
Lake Elmo Public Works Staff will be trimming trees over public sidewalks, trails
and along the roadways as weather permits. Tree trimming is necessary to improve
the health and appearance of trees and to lessen the interference with pedestrians,
bikers and traffic. Trimming is required if trees are obstructing street lights, signs,
trails, and roadways. Trees are trimmed to 20 feet over streets or curb, and 7 feet
over a sidewalk or path. Staff will only be trimming trees which are in the city’s
right-of-way (typically 15 feet behind the curb or road edge) or impede on a city
sidewalk and trail. Limbs will be cut back to the trunk of the tree and will be
removed from the site. To balance the appearance of a tree staff will occasionally
trim around all sides of a tree.
Questions can be directed to Lake Elmo Public Works
Attention – NEW Utility Billing Payment Portal
We have moved to an intuitive new Utility Billing Portal called Paya.
Grab your City of Lake Elmo utility account number and proceed to Paya at the link
below to register, manage your account, set up autopay, or make payments.
LakeElmo.PayaCP.com
If Autopay isn't for you, try out the new Text-and-Pay option.
If you need assistance, reach out to us at RNess@LakeElmo.gov or call 651-747-
3906.
Safe Drinking Water Meeting
Replay is Available
The City of Lake Elmo, along with the
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency
MPCA) and Minnesota Department
of Health (MDH) hosted an
informational meeting regarding
PFAS, safe drinking water and private
wells on July 25, 2024, where
presentations were given by MPCA,
MDH and Lake Elmo’s City Engineer
as well as a question and answer
period for the participants. The
presentation slides are
available here as well as printed
copies are available at City Hall. A
recording of the meeting is
available here.
Private Wells
and PFAS
If you have questions about your private well water quality, please reach out to the MPCA.
You can request your well be tested here: https://webapp.pca.state.mn.us/gw-
sampling-req/
PFAS well sampling FAQs: PFAS Well Sampling Frequently Asked Questions
state.mn.us)
Water filtration FAQs: PFAS Water Filtration Frequently Asked Questions
state.mn.us)
MDH website about PFAS filtration PFAS and Home Treatment of Water - MN
Dept. of Health (state.mn.us)
Private well sampling interactive map: Private Well Sampling in the East Metro Area
arcgis.com)
If you have questions about private well testing in the East Metro, call 651-757-
2903, or email
east_metro_pfas_private_well_sampling_inquiries.mpca@state.mn.us
Information about PFAS from the department of health can be found Per- and
Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS) - MN Dept. of Health (state.mn.us)
MPCA blueprint for Minnesota and PFAS. Minnesota’s PFAS Blueprint | Minnesota
Pollution Control Agency (state.mn.us)
Good information to reduce your exposure to PFAS can be found Reducing
Exposures: Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)-MN Dept. of Health and
PFAS - SixClasses.org
Please visit the City of Lake Elmo’s water resources webpage to learn more
at lakeelmo.gov/residents/index.php
If you know someone who has concerns about their water, please forward this newsletter
to them and encourage them to sign up for the FRESH HERE
Will Your Mailbox Survive the Winter?
Below are the proper installation instructions from the USPS:
1) Position your mailbox 41” to 45” from the road surface to the bottom of the mailbox or
point of mail entry
2) Place your mailbox 6” to 8” back from curb. If you do not have a raised curb, contact
your local post-master for guidance.
3) Put your house or apartment number on the mailbox
4)If your mailbox is on a different street from your house or apartment, put your full street
address on the box
5)If you are attaching the box to your house, make sure the postal carrier can reach it
easily from your sidewalk, steps, or porch
6) If your mailbox is physically struck by the city plow (not the weight of the snow wake)
please contact public works within 72 hours to investigate the damage. City plows get as
close as practical to allow for passage of traffic and mail delivery. Residents are
responsible to keep piled snow away from the mailboxes. If mailbox damage is determined
to be caused by a city plow making direct physical contact with a properly installed
mailbox, the city will replace it with a standard size, non-decorative metal mailbox and
treated wooden 4x4 post
Be a Battery Hero!
If it lights up, makes noise, or moves without a plug, it has a battery! Batteries make our daily lives more
convenient. Once they are used, though, they must be disposed of properly.
If thrown in the trash or recycling, batteries may catch fire and pose a threat to people and property.
Some batteries also contain toxic metals, such as cadmium, lead, or mercury, which can pose a threat to
health and the environment.
Be a battery hero! With so many different kinds of batteries, it can be confusing to know how to dispose of
batteries correctly. To make it easy for residents, ALL batteries are accepted at the Washington County
Environmental Center for free recycling, including rechargeable, button, and alkaline batteries.
The Lake Elmo Community Development
Department is happy to share our new Sign
Guide, created to help local businesses and
residents understand the sign regulations in
our community. This guide offers information
on the types of signs allowed, size
requirements, placement, and more. Whether
you are a business owner looking to advertise
or a resident curious about neighborhood
guidelines, this is a good resource for you.
Check out the Lake Elmo Sign Guide (linked
here: Sign Guide) to learn more.
City of Lake Elmo | 3880 Laverne Avenue North | Lake Elmo, MN 55042 US
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